Week 4 Rankings: Standard | PPR
Week 4 is a terrible week for running backs. At least on paper based on the matchups. And that includes Le'Veon Bell being active from his three-game suspension.
Some of the guys you have to start just based on injuries, along with Eddie Lacy and Ryan Mathews on a bye, are facing tough matchups this week. But you can't afford to sit them because of the lack of quality replacements.
For example, Matt Forte could struggle against Seattle, Christine Michael could have a difficult time at the Jets and the Falcons duo of Devonta Freeman and Tevin Coleman have a tough test against Carolina. You also have Latavius Murray with a reduced workload at Baltimore, and Spencer Ware faces what should be an angry defense at Pittsburgh.
Now, we're not saying to bench these guys in the majority of leagues because we don't have strong enough alternatives to recommend starting in their place. You just have to hope the running backs in your starting lineup deliver because it could be a long week.
Editor's Note: Projections are provided by CBS Sports and not Jamey Eisenberg.
Start of the Week
Hyde is one of the few running backs I trust this week with the utmost confidence in his game against Dallas. He's had strong showings in two of his first three games, albeit his production in Week 3 at Seattle came in garbage time.
He had 23 carries for 88 yards and two touchdowns in Week 1 against the Rams and 14 carries for 34 yards and three catches for 18 yards with a fumble in Week 2 at Carolina. Last week, with the game out of reach, the 49ers continued to lean on Hyde, who had 21 carries for 103 yards and two touchdowns.
This should be his easiest matchup to date at home, even though the Cowboys have done a nice job against opposing running backs. Matt Jones in Week 2 is the lone running back to score double digits in Fantasy points in a standard league against Dallas, including matchups with the Giants and Bears.
Those aren't the toughest of opponents, and Jones scored in the lone game the Cowboys had on the road. But 49ers coach Chip Kelly should know what to expect from Dallas' defense since he faced them six times in the past three years when he was the coach of the Eagles.
Philadelphia's running backs combined for six touchdowns against Dallas over that span, and Hyde seems to like running in Kelly's system. We like the 49ers at home in this matchup, and Hyde has the chance to be the best offensive threat for his team.
It should also be fun to watch the two former Ohio State running backs compete head-to-head with Hyde and Ezekiel Elliott. Fantasy owners will obviously take Elliott in this matchup, but I'll be rooting for Hyde. And I expect him to deliver in a big way.
I'm starting Hyde over: Matt Forte (vs. SEA), Christine Michael (at NYJ), Devonta Freeman (vs. CAR), Latavius Murray (at BAL) and Spencer Ware (at PIT)
Quarterback
Start 'Em
You have to give the Saints credit for their pass defense so far. Despite all the injuries in their secondary, they have allowed just three passing touchdowns through three games, and the Fantasy production has been minimal for Derek Carr, Eli Manning and Matt Ryan, who has the high score of 23 points in a standard league in Week 3. And Rivers just posted a pedestrian total of 11 Fantasy points in a great matchup at the Colts. He wasn't awful with 26-of-39 completions for 330 passing yards, but he didn't score a touchdown and has just one game with multiple touchdowns this year. That game was at home in Week 2, and Rivers should excel this week against a New Orleans defense that just played Monday night and has to travel. Rivers has seven touchdowns in his last two home games going back to last year, and he should remain hot in San Diego this week.
Stafford has been an exceptional Fantasy quarterback so far this season, and his best performances have come on the road. He had 31 Fantasy points in a standard league in Week 1 at Indianapolis and 32 points at Green Bay in Week 3. We expect another standout performance this week at Chicago, and the Bears have allowed multiple touchdowns to two quarterbacks in three games with Brock Osweiler and Dak Prescott. Stafford has a great track record against the Bears with an average of 311 passing yards in his past five meetings with 12 touchdowns and four interceptions over that span. He had 298 passing yards and three touchdowns at Chicago last year, and he remains a solid No. 1 quarterback in all leagues this week.
Cousins has underperformed so far this season, but he still has at least 20 Fantasy points in a standard league in two of three games, including two in a row. He played well at the Giants in Week 3 with 296 passing yards and two touchdowns, and we expect him to stay hot in this matchup. He gets a great situation this week against the Browns, who have allowed at least 275 passing yards and two touchdowns to all three opposing quarterbacks this year in Carson Wentz, Joe Flacco and Ryan Tannehill. Cleveland does have two interceptions in each of the past two games against Baltimore and Miami, but that didn't stop Flacco and Tannehill from producing a positive stat line. Cousins should follow suit, and he has the potential to be a Top 10 Fantasy quarterback this week.
Palmer was off his game in a big way in Week 3 at Buffalo with 26-of-50 completions for 261 yards, no touchdowns and four interceptions in a tough loss to the Bills. He's back home now in a tough matchup against the Rams, but we still have faith in him as a Top 10 option this week. In his past two games against the Rams, Palmer has averaged 354 passing yards with three touchdowns and one interception. The Rams are on the second half of back-to-back road games, and Jameis Winston just passed for 405 passing yards, three touchdowns and one interception against Los Angeles. He needed 58 pass attempts to get there, but Palmer should still be productive back in Arizona against what could be a tired defense. Palmer has at least 265 passing yards and two touchdowns in four of his past five home games going back to last year, so he should get back on track in Week 4.
Flacco didn't take advantage of a favorable matchup last week at Jacksonville, but the Ravens were playing consecutive road games, which might have caught up to them. That scenario is facing the Raiders this week, who are traveling east for the second time in as many weeks after playing at Tennessee in Week 3. They also have to make an early start at 1 p.m. ET, and that tends to impact teams (see Arizona at Buffalo in Week 3). Flacco only has one game with more than 14 Fantasy points in a standard league this season, which was Week 2 at Cleveland when he scored 20, but the Raiders have allowed some big games to quarterbacks with Drew Brees and Ryan each getting at least 395 passing yards and three touchdowns. Oakland was better against Marcus Mariota in Week 3, but Flacco and the Ravens have a much better passing attack than the Titans. We like Flacco as a solid starting option in all leagues this week.
Sleepers
- Brian Hoyer (vs. DET): DET has allowed at least two passing touchdowns in each game.
- Andy Dalton (vs. MIA): Don't be shocked if he plays well even in a prime-time game.
- Trevor Siemian (at TB): TB has allowed at least two passing touchdowns in each game.
Sit 'Em
Mariota gets a break with Texans star defensive lineman J.J. Watt (back) out, but that might not make him a standout Fantasy quarterback this week. He's been good but not great in two games so far this season with 19 Fantasy points against Minnesota in Week 1 and 20 points at Detroit in Week 2, but he fell apart last week against Oakland with four points at home. He has four touchdowns and four interceptions on the season, and he really hasn't rushed more as originally promised with only 52 yards in three games. Houston's defense isn't as imposing without Watt, but the Texans should still be able to contain this passing attack for the Titans. This should be a game where the running game does most of the heavy lifting, and Mariota is only worth using in two-quarterback leagues.
Taylor had one great game against the Patriots in 2015 at home with 31 Fantasy points in a standard league and one bad outing at New England with nine points. It's not bad when you say he averaged 20 Fantasy points against the Patriots last year, but he should be under that with his production this week on the road. Sammy Watkins (foot) is still ailing and could miss another game after being out in Week 3 against Arizona, and Taylor was held to 15 Fantasy points in that matchup with the Cardinals. It was nice to see him moving the ball on the ground with 76 rushing yards and a touchdown, but we expect the Patriots defense to play well here after Buffalo pulled off the surprise upset against Arizona and now has to play on the road. Taylor is only worth using in two-quarterback leagues, but we hope Watkins is back on the field soon to help Taylor's output.
Winston had one of the bigger surprise performances of Week 3 against the Rams when he completed 36-of-58 passes for 405 yards, three touchdowns and one interception and ran for 13 yards to score 31 Fantasy points in a standard league. But instead of getting an easier matchup in Week 4, he faces another tough defense with the Broncos at home. Now, he's catching Denver at the right time with back-to-back road games and making the trip to the East Coast, but the Broncos have only allowed six quarterbacks to pass for multiple touchdowns in their past 20 games going back to 2014. Winston could post respectable stats and beat his projected point total, but it won't be by much. He's worth using in two-quarterback leagues this week, but we'd avoid him in most other formats.
For two weeks in a row now, Tannehill has been a quality Fantasy quarterback with 26 points in a standard league at New England in Week 2 and 24 points against the Browns in Week 3. There are plenty of flaws in those performances (four interceptions combined), but he's delivered when needed, especially against the Browns when we recommended him as a starter. But this should be another tough test on a short week against the Bengals, who get a boost defensively with the return of suspended linebacker Vontaze Burfict. Cincinnati has allowed multiple touchdowns in all three games this year to Ryan Fitzpatrick, Ben Roethlisberger and Siemian, who lit up the Bengals for 312 passing yards and four touchdowns. Burfict might not be the total solution to Cincinnati's problems on defense, but he definitely helps. And Tannehill should have a hard time on the road in this matchup, which means his two-game run of recent success should come to an end in Week 4.
We're going to be watching the practice reports closely with Wilson, who had a nasty knee injury in Week 3 against the 49ers. He is expected to play, but that gives him a knee injury and an ankle problem, which means he has as many lower-leg ailments as passing touchdowns this year. He's off to another slow start, which is reminiscent of last season, but the injuries are becoming a concern. He's scored 15 Fantasy points or less in a standard league in each game, and this won't be an easy matchup going across the country to face the Jets for a 1 p.m. ET start. The Jets have only allowed multiple touchdowns in one game, which was against Taylor in Week 2 on the road, and Wilson still has the chance for a quality outing this week. But injured, struggling and facing a tough opponent on a long road trip isn't encouraging for his outlook this week. I'd only start him in two-quarterback leagues in Week 4.
Bust Alert
There are some Fantasy owners calling Manning a bust already, and they are ready to drop him in some 10-team leagues. I'm not there yet, but Manning has definitely struggled this season as a starting Fantasy quarterback. He scored 24 points in a standard league in Week 1 against Dallas, but he's combined for just 28 points the past two weeks against New Orleans and Washington at home. There is big production ahead -- Odell Beckham has more tears on the sidelines than touchdowns this year -- but it will be hard to trust him this week against the Vikings. Minnesota has limited Mariota, Aaron Rodgers and Cam Newton to fewer than 20 Fantasy points in each game this season, with Rodgers and Newton combining for four interceptions and a fumble the past two weeks. Manning faced Minnesota last year in Week 16 and had 234 passing yards, one touchdown and three interceptions in the game Beckham was suspended following his fight with Josh Norman. Clearly those stats are better with Beckham on the field, but not dramatically. Manning is a low-end No. 1 quarterback at best this week.
Running back
Start 'Em
I was actually hoping Hill struggled in Week 3 against Denver so he would be a buy-low candidate heading into this matchup with Miami on Thursday night. Instead, he had his best game of the season and one of the best games of his career with 17 carries for 97 yards (5.7 yards per carry) and two touchdowns for 21 Fantasy points in a standard league. It was his best Fantasy outing since Week 4 last season when he had 24 points. We hope this is a sign of things to come for Hill, who has some favorable matchups ahead against Miami, Dallas, Cleveland and Washington before Cincinnati's bye in Week 8. The Dolphins have only allowed LeGarrette Blount to score double digits in Fantasy points in a standard league, but in their past two games against New England and Cleveland, Miami has allowed 330 rushing yards. Hill is a must-start option this week, and Giovani Bernard should be considered a solid flex in all leagues.
Blount has been New England's best offensive player so far this season, and we hope he stays hot for one more week before Tom Brady is back from his suspension. When that happens you can expect the passing game for the Patriots to open up, and Blount could slow down with his production. But so far he has been awesome with at least 11 Fantasy points in a standard league in all three games, including a high of 22 points in Week 3 against Houston. New England has leaned on him with at least 22 carries in each outing, and that should be the case again this week against Buffalo with Jimmy Garoppolo (shoulder) and Jacoby Brissett (thumb) both banged up. But even if both were healthy the Patriots should still give Blount plenty of work. Buffalo has allowed five rushing touchdowns the past two games against Forte and David Johnson, and Blount should be considered a Top 10 Fantasy running back in this matchup.
We hope the game Sims had in Week 3 against the Rams is a sign of things to come while Doug Martin (hamstring) remains out. He had 13 carries for 55 yards and a touchdown and six catches for 69 yards on eight targets. He's going to dominate snaps (78 percent in Week 3), and that should continue this week against the Broncos. It won't be easy to run on Denver, but Hill just did well with 97 rushing yards and two touchdowns and the Colts had two touchdowns to running backs in Week 2. And last year, the Broncos allowed eight touchdowns to running backs on the road. It's the second consecutive road game for Denver, which has to travel across the country, and Sims should be useful as a No. 2 Fantasy running back this week.
The Lions could again be without linebacker DeAndre Levy (quad) and defensive end Ezekiel Ansah (ankle), which makes this defense vulnerable. We saw it last week when Lacy did well as the Start of the Week with 17 carries for 103 yards, and Howard should have the chance for a good game as the new starter for the Bears at home. This is Detroit's second consecutive road game, and Howard played well when he stepped in for the injured Jeremy Langford in Week 3 at Dallas with nine carries for 45 yards and four catches for 47 yards on six targets. He should get the majority of touches, and Howard slots in as a solid No. 2 Fantasy running back this week given the state of the position.
We can sit here and nitpick Crowell's performance so far this season that he's had some garbage-time runs in Week 1 at Philadelphia and one big play in Week 2 against Baltimore to enhance his production, but the results are what matters. He's averaging 6.1 yards per carry, and he scored at least 13 Fantasy points in a standard league in two of three games this year. He's also getting plenty of carries with at least 15 in his past two games, and his track record suggests that more work equals quality production. He has now scored double digits in Fantasy points in a standard league 10 times in his past 16 games with at least 12 carries, and the Redskins have struggled against the run. They trail only the Saints (seven) with six touchdowns allowed to running backs, and Washington is second in Fantasy points allowed to the position. It's worth the risk to trust Crowell this week.
Sleepers
- Dwayne Washington (at CHI): Three RBs have already had double-digit FPTS vs. CHI.
- Cameron Artis-Payne (at ATL): A RB has scored vs. ATL in every game this season.
- Matt Jones (vs. CLE): CLE has allowed a RB to score in both road games this year.
Sit 'Em
The Dolphins plan to stick with their four-man rotation at running back this week with Arian Foster (groin) out, but Drake had the most work in Week 3 against Cleveland with 40 percent of the snaps. Jay Ajayi (27 percent) was second, Isaiah Pead (18 percent) was third and then Damien Williams (16 percent). We expect a similar split against the Bengals on Thursday night, and Drake will be hard to trust. The Bengals get Burfict back, and he's a difference maker for their run defense, which has allowed double digits in Fantasy points to Forte and DeAngelo Williams already this season. If Drake was guaranteed the full workload then we could consider him a potential starter this week, but the uncertainty of his touches in what should be a tough matchup makes him nothing more than a flex option in deeper formats.
McKinnon is going to have some productive games ahead as the starter for the Vikings with Adrian Peterson (knee) out, but this is another tough matchup for him. He was limited in Week 3 at Carolina with 16 carries for 45 yards, but it was disappointing to see him get only one catch for 2 yards on two targets. His upside will come when the Vikings use him in the passing game, but this week he should struggle against the Giants. Elliott is the lone running back to score double digits in Fantasy points against New York, and he needed 20 carries for 51 yards and a touchdown to save his production. The Giants held Mark Ingram to four Fantasy points and Jones to eight points. McKinnon is still sharing time with Matt Asiata, although he played 65 percent of the snaps, but we still expect Asiata to get the goal-line opportunities. For now, continue to stash McKinnon, although he could be worth using in Week 5 at Houston now that Watt is out.
We're going to use whoever starts for the Giants in this spot, whether it's Darkwa or Rashad Jennings (hand) if he's able to play. The Vikings are dominant against the run and should be able to contain New York's running game in this matchup. Minnesota allowed two receiving touchdowns to DeMarco Murray in Week 1, but since then no running back has scored more than five Fantasy points, including Week 2 against Lacy. If Jennings plays then you can expect a split between him, Darkwa and potentially Bobby Rainey and Paul Perkins. Even if Jennings is out then the Giants will use Rainey and Perkins to complement Darkwa, who had 10 carries for 53 yards and a touchdown last week against Washington. That might be his best performance all year, and he should only be considered a flex option in deeper leagues.
You have to love what Coleman has done so far to start the season with at least 11 Fantasy points in a standard league, and he's definitely been involved in sharing touches with Freeman. Coleman played 42 percent of the snaps in Week 3 at New Orleans, and Freeman was at 59 percent. But look at what Coleman's Fantasy production would be without the touchdowns. He had 12 carries for 46 yards and a touchdown and two catches for 25 yards in Week 2 at Oakland and 12 carries for 42 yards and three touchdowns and three catches for 47 yards in Week 3 at New Orleans. The production is great, but he might be at about eight Fantasy points with his ceiling if he fails to score. And the Panthers have shut down Hyde and McKinnon the past two weeks after the Broncos beat them up for three touchdowns from their running backs. I still have Coleman ranked in my Top 24, which makes him at least a flex option, but I'm not confident in him having a big game this week.
Ivory is dealing with knee and ankle injuries heading into this matchup with the Colts in London, and it's hard to trust him this week even if he's 100 percent healthy. He played in his first game in Week 3 against Baltimore after being out with an illness, and he wasn't able to slice through the defense with just 12 carries for 14 yards and one catch for 9 yards. He'll continue to share touches with T.J. Yeldon, who played 50 percent of the snaps compared to 48 percent for Ivory, and this offensive line was a disaster last week against the Ravens. Now, getting left tackle Kelvin Beachum (concussion) back for this game will help, but center Brandon Linder (knee) is still hurt. If both return then Ivory will get a boost, but he's still not worth trusting as a starter in the majority of leagues.
Bust Alert
Gore has been a productive Fantasy running back the past two weeks with a receiving touchdown against the Broncos in Week 2 and a rushing touchdown against the Chargers in Week 3. It's the first time since the final two weeks of the 2014 season that he's had consecutive games with double digits in Fantasy points in a standard league, and the last time he did that for three games in a row was 2013. Gore struggled against the Jaguars last season with 33 carries for 113 yards and no touchdowns and six catches for 33 yards in two games, and Jacksonville has only allowed Melvin Gordon to score double digits in Fantasy points in three games, including facing Lacy in Week 1. Like Coleman, it's difficult to bench Gore this week in the majority of leagues, but he's better suited as a flex option than a must-start running back with this game in London.
Wide receivers
Start 'Em
Our CBS Sports projections have Sanders as the better receiver this week, but I like Thomas to have the better outing against the Buccaneers. Either way, both are worth starting now that we've seen Siemian play at a high level after his performance in Week 3 at Cincinnati. He put Thomas and Sanders in position to make plays, as Sanders had 13 targets for nine catches, 117 yards and two touchdowns and Thomas had seven targets for six catches, 100 yards and a touchdown. The Buccaneers have allowed the third-most Fantasy points to opposing receivers, and the Falcons (Julio Jones and Mohamed Sanu), Cardinals (Larry Fitzgerald, Michael Floyd and Jaron Brown) and Rams (Brian Quick and Tavon Austin) all had multiple receivers score touchdowns against this defense. That's an amazing trend we hope continues this week, and you should expect another standout performance from Thomas and Sanders in all leagues.
Like with Sanders and Thomas, I like Cooper better than Crabtree here despite the projections. But I still expect both to play at a high level, and I would take the over on the numbers listed here. The Ravens have allowed a big game to at least one receiver in each of the past two outings with Corey Coleman (22 Fantasy points in a standard league) in Week 2 and Allen Robinson (17 points) in Week 3. Fantasy owners were worried about Robinson before he faced the Ravens, and he broke out with a solid outing, which should also happen with Cooper, who has yet to score a touchdown this year. The splash plays are coming, and Fantasy owners should be patient. He's still worth starting in all leagues. And the same goes for Crabtree, who has scored at least nine Fantasy points in a standard league each week. He's been consistent as a low-end No. 2 Fantasy receiver, and we don't see that changing in this matchup.
I like these projections that Benjamin is better than Williams, but I expect both to play at a high level this week at home against the Saints. New Orleans has a short week after playing the Falcons on Monday night, and the Chargers left points on the field in their loss to the Colts in Week 3. I expected more from Benjamin (four catches for 82 yards on seven targets) and Williams (six catches for 69 yards on nine targets) against Indianapolis, but the upside is incredible at home against this defense. New Orleans has actually played well against opposing receivers so far with only Cooper and Sterling Shepard scoring double digits in Fantasy points in a standard league, but Benjamin and Williams combined for three touchdowns in their last home game against the Jaguars in Week 2. I'm hoping for similar results this week against the Saints.
I'm still not convinced Jackson had possession of the touchdown he caught in Week 3 at the Giants, but that's probably me being bitter since I called him a sit. He's now had two solid games against the Steelers in Week 1 (10 Fantasy points in a standard league) and the Giants (15 points), and his lone blemish was a four-point outing in Week 2 against Dallas. We hope he's better this time at home, and the Browns have struggled with opposing receivers this season. There are already five receivers who have scored double digits in Fantasy points against Cleveland, including Jarvis Landry and DeVante Parker last week, and Browns cornerback Joe Haden (groin) is uncertain to play. Jackson should be considered a must-start Fantasy option this week.
We hope Jeffery is close to 100 percent with his knee injury this week, but he will likely be limited again, which is frustrating. Still, he's expected to play, and he has an amazing track record against the Lions. He has five touchdowns in his past five meetings with Detroit, and he's scored double digits in Fantasy points in a standard league in each outing over that span. The Lions are banged up defensively with Ansah and Levy hurt, and Rodgers and the Packers picked them apart for four touchdowns, including three to receivers and two to No. 1 option Jordy Nelson. Hoyer appeared to have a good rapport with Kevin White last week against Dallas with 14 targets for six catches and 62 yards, and you can consider White a sleeper for this week. But Jeffery should have his best game of the season in this matchup, and he's a must-start option as long as he's healthy.
Sleepers
- Mike Wallace (vs. OAK): OAK allows the most FPTS to opposing receivers.
- Terrelle Pryor (at WAS): His do-it-all game makes him a high-end No. 3 WR.
- Michael Thomas (at SD): He has huge upside if Willie Snead is out again.
- Phillip Dorsett (at JAC): This is a better matchup for him against JAC.
- John Brown (vs. LAR): His value will increase if Michael Floyd is out.
- Will Fuller (vs. TEN): He's been great so far in two home games.
Sit 'Em
This could be a rough day for the Jets passing attack with Decker (shoulder) and Marshall (knee) both at less than 100 percent. It was ugly in Week 3 at Kansas City when both combined for four catches for 58 yards on 16 targets. For Decker, that game ended a streak of 19 games in a row with at least 80 receiving yards or a touchdown. And Marshall now has two games on the season with three Fantasy points or less in a standard league. We hope both can return to 100 percent soon, and it's admirable that they are playing through their injuries. But it will be hard for both to produce against the Seahawks in this matchup. Seattle has yet to allow a touchdown to a receiver, and only Kenny Britt in Week 2 has more than five Fantasy points in a standard league. You should plan to bench Marshall and Decker if possible in the majority of leagues for Week 4.
Floyd is dealing with a concussion from Week 3 at Buffalo, but he's expected to play in this matchup at home. Still, it's hard to trust him in the majority of leagues given his inconsistent play through three games. He has yet to score more than six Fantasy points in a standard league, and he only has one touchdown to go with nine catches and 134 yards on 24 targets. Reports out of Arizona are calling for Jaron Brown to play ahead of Floyd, and he's been one of the bigger disappoints for Fantasy owners this year. We wouldn't cut him yet in the majority of leagues because last year his best production came from Week 6 on, but right now you should plan to bench him in most formats given his lackluster play through three games.
One more week. That's all we have to wait until Brady is back from his four-game suspension, and then it should be all systems go for this Patriots passing attack. But in Week 4 it will be hard to trust Edelman given the uncertainty at quarterback with Garoppolo and Brissett banged up. We'll see what New England does, and don't discount Edelman seeing some time at quarterback or at least attempting a pass, which would greatly enhance his Fantasy value. But he hasn't scored a touchdown this season, and his season high has been seven Fantasy points in a standard league. With Brissett starting last week against Houston, Edelman was held to four catches for 38 yards on six targets. It wouldn't be a surprise to see Chris Hogan make a big play in this matchup against his former team, but that's a sleeper play in deeper leagues. Edelman is just a No. 3 Fantasy receiver at best, and he's clearly better suited in PPR leagues than standard formats this week.
The Steelers have done a great job against opposing receivers so far this year, and Jordan Matthews last week was the lone receiver to score a touchdown. Jackson had six catches for 102 yards in Week 1 against Pittsburgh, but he's the lone receiver to score double digits in Fantasy points in a standard league. Maclin has one game with double digits in Fantasy points this year in Week 1 against the Chargers on five catches for 63 yards and a touchdown, but his season high is six catches for 68 yards in Week 2 at Houston. He missed last year's game against the Steelers with an injury, and he's better off viewed as a No. 3 Fantasy receiver in standard leagues. The targets have been consistent with at least seven in each game, but he will likely need to score to be considered a starting-caliber Fantasy receiver this week.
At some point we're going to see Tate break through with a big game, and it could happen this week. He does have at least eight Fantasy points in two of his past four meetings with the Bears, and he scored against them in Week 6 last season. But Tate has been more than overshadowed by Marvin Jones so far this season, and even Anquan Boldin has been a better Fantasy receiver. Tate has combined for just nine Fantasy points in a standard league and his stats are 13 catches for 94 yards and no touchdowns on the year. Fantasy owners are dropping Tate in smaller leagues, and we might see all owners follow suit if this continues. It's frustrating because Stafford is playing well, and the Lions have had some great matchups. But Tate just has not been a focal point like Fantasy owners would like, and we'd sit him in most formats again this week.
Bust Alert
We might get to Sunday and Bryant has been ruled out with a knee injury, but if he intends to play you should plan to sit him in most formats. Coach Jason Garrett said Bryant has a hairline fracture in his knee, and we'd like him to sit for a couple of weeks and hopefully come back at 100 percent when Tony Romo (back) is healthy. It's been a tough season for Bryant, who is coming back from last year's broken foot, and he's struggled with rookie Dak Prescott. He's scored 10 Fantasy points in a standard league in each of the past two games against Washington and Chicago, but he hasn't performed on a dominant level like many Fantasy owners have hoped. Maybe he still has a chance to do that this season, but this latest knee injury could be bad. For now, keep him reserved in most leagues, and hopefully this isn't an injury that will completely wreck his year.
Tight end
Start 'Em
Rudolph is off to a great start this season with 14 catches for 166 yards and two touchdowns on 26 targets, and he's scored at least nine Fantasy points in a standard league in each of the past two games. He also has at least eight targets in all three games this season, and it's clear Sam Bradford is leaning on him as the No. 2 option in this passing attack behind Stefon Diggs. In Minnesota's first game without Peterson (knee) in Week 3 at Carolina, Rudolph had a season-high 10 targets and finished with seven catches for 70 yards and a touchdown. We hope that's a sign of things to come, including this week against the Giants. He scored against the Giants in Week 16 last year with two catches for 53 yards, and we hope a similar outing happens this week, even though New York has yet to allow a tight end to score this year. Still, given his expected targets, Rudolph is worth buying into as a No. 1 Fantasy tight end in all leagues in Week 4.
It was nice to see Fleener post a dominant stat line in Week 3 on Monday night against the Falcons with seven catches for 109 yards and a touchdown on 11 targets. But now he has to do it again and prove that's the guy he is and not what happened in the first two weeks when he combined for three catches and 35 yards on 12 targets against Oakland and the Giants. The storyline heading into the Falcons game was Fleener was finally comfortable in the offense, and he benefited with Snead (toe) being out in Week 3. We hope Snead is back in Week 4 at San Diego, but even if he plays it's worth taking a shot on Fleener. Brees will continue taking chances on Fleener against the Chargers, who have already allowed three tight ends (Travis Kelce, Marcedes Lewis and Julius Thomas) to score seven Fantasy points this season. That should be the floor for Fleener this week, and he's worth trusting again as a starter after his performance in Week 3.
Pitta didn't have the huge game many Fantasy owners were hoping for in Week 3 at Jacksonville with six catches for 42 yards on eight targets after he had nine catches for 102 yards in Week 2 at Cleveland. But you have to like the usage, and only seven tight ends had more targets and four had more receptions in Week 3. He's going to remain heavily involved from Flacco, and that's all you can ask for is a chance to make plays. This week, he's facing an Oakland defense that limited Fleener in Week 1 but was beat up by the Falcons in Week 2 (10 catches for 180 yards and a touchdown from their tight ends). The Raiders missed an injured Delanie Walker (hamstring) in Week 3, so we'll see how Pitta does this week. I still trust him as a starter after 20 targets in his past two games. Baltimore still has trouble running the ball, so Flacco will be asked to throw the ball a lot, which should mean good things for Pitta in this matchup.
Sleepers
- Zach Miller (vs. DET): The Lions allow the most FPTS to opposing tight ends.
- Hunter Henry (vs. NO): If Gates stays out then he has the chance for a nice stat line.
- Cameron Brate (vs. DEN): TB leads all teams with four tight end touchdowns.
Sit 'Em
You've probably heard me say this a lot, but Kansas City is exceptional in defending tight ends, which should make things tough for James this week. The Chiefs haven't exactly faced a gauntlet of great tight ends so far this season against San Diego, Houston and the Jets, but Kansas City has allowed a total of eight catches for 61 yards to tight ends through three games. And it's hard to trust James in this matchup. His production has tailed off through three games from five catches to three catches to two last week, and he has just one touchdown on the year. We expect him to be a factor for the Steelers this year, but he's not worth trusting as a streamer in this matchup.
Walford has been a popular streaming option so far this year because of amazing matchups against New Orleans, Atlanta and Tennessee, but he's only delivered in one game, which was Week 2 against the Falcons when he had six catches for 50 yards and a touchdown. In his other two games he had five catches for 52 yards and no scores. We expect another low total this week against the Ravens. Like Kansas City, Baltimore is tough on tight ends with a combined 11 catches for 110 yards against Buffalo, Cleveland and Jacksonville. This secondary should be able to handle Walford, and he's not worth trusting as a streamer this week.
I wouldn't be surprised if Bennett has a great game this week, which he did in Week 2 against Miami. I also wouldn't be surprised if he has one Fantasy point, which he did in Week 1 at Arizona and Week 3 against Houston. Now, he had some red-zone chances against the Texans but didn't score because of penalties, but we also saw the Patriots not use Rob Gronkowski as per usual because it was his first game back from his hamstring injury. Gronkowski should be more involved this week, but the biggest issue with Bennett is his quarterback. You have either Garoppolo dealing with a bad shoulder or Brissett dealing with a bad thumb, and we have no idea the health of either guy. That should be bad for the entire Patriots passing game, and the only one I trust is Gronkowski. I expect a lot of hand-offs for Blount, and the Bills have allowed just seven catches for 59 yards to tight ends so far this year.
Bust Alert
It was awesome to see Graham do what he did in Week 3 against the 49ers when he had six catches for 100 yards and a touchdown on 10 targets. He's clearly back from last year's patella tendon injury, but this isn't a slam dunk situation that he's a must-start option. The biggest concern is Wilson not being 100 percent, but the Jets are also good against tight ends even if Kelce beat them up in Week 3 with six catches for 89 yards and a touchdown. Kelce is just the third tight end in the past 19 games to score against the Jets, and Graham might not produce a huge stat line in this matchup. He appears ready to become a starting-caliber Fantasy option again, but this week could be tough for him, as well as the long road trip. I would only consider him a low-end starting option this week in the majority of leagues.
Defense/Special teams
Start 'Em
Colts (at JAC)
- Week 4 projected stats: 12.2 FPTS
The Colts are not a good DST. And they aren't even my favorite streaming option this week if you can get the Redskins against the Browns at home. But using the DST against Blake Bortles this season has worked out well for the first three weeks of the year. So far, the Packers, Chargers and Ravens have nine sacks and six interceptions against the Jaguars, and only the Packers allowed more than 17 points to the Jaguars. Jacksonville has a banged-up offensive line, and Bortles has regressed worse than expected from last year. The Colts did just hold the Chargers to 22 points with two sacks and three fumble recoveries, so hopefully they continue to play well in this plus matchup against the Jaguars in London.
Sleepers
- Bengals (vs. MIA): Getting Burfict back should dramatically improve this defense.
- Redskins (vs. CLE): The Browns on back-to-back road games should be good for WAS.
- Jets (vs. SEA): SEA is banged up and making a long road trip for an early start.
Sit 'Em
Chiefs (vs. PIT)
- Week 4 projected stats: 9.1 FPTS
Prior to last week, the DST facing the Steelers was a bad play, but the Eagles were just dominant with four sacks, one fumble recovery, one interception and just three points allowed. We expect the Steelers offense to be much better this week, especially with Bell back from his three-game suspension. We also expect the Chiefs to come down from last week after they intercepted Ryan Fitzpatrick six times and held the Jets to just three points and scored two DST touchdowns. Roethlisberger can be turnover prone himself, and he has four interceptions for the season. But we don't expect another meltdown for the Steelers offense, and the Chiefs DST is worth avoiding in this matchup on the road.
Kicker
Start 'Em
Hopkins has actually been the No. 1 Fantasy kicker through three games with 11 made field goals on 11 attempts and five extra points. He's scored double digits in Fantasy points in all three games this season, including a season-high 15 points at the Giants in Week 3. He has the chance to stay hot this week against the Browns, who have already allowed multiple field goals in two games this season against Caleb Sturgis and Justin Tucker. We like the Redskins offense in this matchup, and they should give Hopkins plenty of chances to score this week.
Sleepers
- Nick Novak (vs. TEN): He made 4 FGs and 6 PATs in 2 games vs. TEN last year.
- Josh Lambo (vs. NO): NO has allowed 4 FGs and 7 PATs in the past 2 games.
- Matt Prater (at CHI): 2 kickers have already scored 11 FPTS vs. CHI this year.
Sit 'Em
The Vikings haven't allowed much production to opposing kickers through three games with two field goals and four extra points against Ryan Succop, Mason Crosby and Graham Gano. Brown has done a nice job through two games this season (he was suspended for Week 1) with 5-of-6 field goals and four extra points, but he was held to one field goal and two extra points at Minnesota last year. As we've said, the Giants didn't have Beckham in that game because of his suspension for his fight with Norman, but we expect the offense to struggle this week against the Vikings. I dropped Brown in several leagues to add Hopkins given their respective matchups.
Full Disclosure from Week 3
It was great to see Eddie Lacy deliver a solid performance in Week 3 as our Start of the Week with 17 carries for 103 yards against Detroit. If he scored a touchdown, he would have been among the best running backs for the week, but he had the seventh-most rushing yards, which was encouraging.
Aside from Lacy, we had a great week of start suggestions, including the top two running backs in Tevin Coleman and Devonta Freeman and the No. 1 receiver in Marvin Jones. We also suggested to start, including sleepers, Matt Ryan, Ryan Tannehill, Melvin Gordon, LeGarrette Blount, Frank Gore, Charles Sims, Christine Michael, Shane Vereen, Jarvis Landry, DeVante Parker, Sterling Shepard, Jamison Crowder and Coby Fleener.
Our good sit recommendations included Russell Wilson, Ryan Mathews, Julian Edelman, Randall Cobb, Golden Tate and Julius Thomas, among others. But it wasn't all great as we said to start guys like Philip Rivers, Stefon Diggs and Jacob Tamme, who struggled.
And we missed big on some sit suggestions like Jameis Winston, Kirk Cousins, Carlos Hyde, Jeremy Hill, DeSean Jackson, Demaryius Thomas, Travis Kelce and the Eagles DST. But, as has been the case through three weeks this season, we've been better more times than not, which is all you can ask for.
And if Hyde wants to score another 24 Fantasy points this week against the Cowboys like he did last week against the Seahawks then that would be just fine. Hyde should deliver as our latest Start of the Week.
Full Disclosure
Start of the Week: Eddie Lacy, RB, Packers
- Fantasy points: 10
- Position rank: 20
Recommended starts who made us look good
Marvin Jones, WR, Lions
- Fantasy points: 32
- Position rank: 1
Tevin Coleman, RB, Falcons
- Fantasy points: 26
- Position rank: 1
LeGarrette Blount, RB, Patriots
- Fantasy points: 22
- Position rank: 5
Recommended sits who made us look good
Russell Wilson, QB, Seahawks
- Fantasy points: 15
- Position rank: 17
Julian Edelman, WR, Patriots
- Fantasy points: 4
- Position rank: 57
Randall Cobb, WR, Packers
- Fantasy points: 3
- Position rank: 73
Recommended starts who made us look bad
Philip Rivers, QB, Chargers
- Fantasy points: 11
- Position rank: 23
Stefon Diggs, WR, Vikings
- Fantasy points: 4
- Position rank: 49
Jacob Tamme, TE, Falcons
- Fantasy points: 2
- Position rank: 22
Recommended sits who made us look bad
Jameis Winston, QB, Buccaneers
- Fantasy points: 31
- Position rank: 5
Carlos Hyde, RB, 49ers
- Fantasy points: 24
- Position rank: 3
Travis Kelce, TE, Chiefs
- Fantasy points: 14
- Position rank: 5
